Oil dispensing apparatus



May 18, 1954 2,678,752

E. A. WEST OIL DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 20 1951 FIG. 1

INVENTOR. E. A. WEST ATTORNEY Patented May 18, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to fluid handling, and more particularly to the metering and dispensing of fluid wherein the flow of the fluid is produced by a pump driven by a motor, or the like.

Specifically, the invention relates to metering and dispensing mechanism which may be used for the metering and dispensing of oil or other liquids, and the manner of energizing the motor which drives the pump for producing the flow of the fluid dispensed.

In the fluid dispensing systems of the above character, it has been customary to operate a motor switch manually, either in the vicinity of the pump or the nozzle, regardless of whether the dispensing mechanism was of the stationary or portable variety. This manual operation of a control switch, or the like, for energizing the pump driving motor has required that the oper ator manipulate the switch, go to the dispensing nozzle for dispensing, and then go back and turn off the switch after completion of the dispensing operation. Thus the motor and associated parts were in operation far longer than was necessary, with the resultant wear and early loss of emciency or failure.

To overcome this, instead of the switch controlling the operation of the motor being placed on or near the pump it has been placed on the nozzle, and the operator has only had to operate the switch from the nozzle to start and stop the pump driving motor. This type of structure involves a connection along the hose to the switch at the nozzle, either within or exteriorly of the hose, and the location of the switch in relatively close proximity to the volatile fluid dispensed. .This was likewise unsatisfactory.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to overcome the above defects and to provide simple, inexpensive, practical or commerically feasible fluid metering and dispensing apparatus, including means for automatically producing flow of fluid instantly when the same is desired, and to terminate the flow of fluid in like manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide fluid metering and dispensing apparatus of relatively few and conventional parts, combined in a. manner that the flow of fluid will be initiated automatically, and where the fluid is highly volatile there will be the maximum safety factor, due to the absence of electrical contacts near the fluid and particularly along the dispensing hose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and highly effective control for fluid flow producing means, subject to fluid pressure in the line near the discharge end thereof, and the utilization of minimum hose between the pump and the discharge from the dispensing mechanism.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunotion with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a fluid dispensing unit attached to a tank truck in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 2, a circuit diagram illustrating the manner in which the operation of the dispensing unit is controlled.

With continued reference to the drawing there is shown in l a conventional tank truck iii or other suitable fluid container. truck includes a tank or container i i mounted on a chassis 22, as well as the usual drivers cab i3.

The fluid dispensing apparatus of this invention may be conveniently incorporated in an elongated housing it which be attached to or suspended from the chassis iii in any desired manner. [is shown in Fig. l the housing i4 is secured to the side of the chassis i2 somewhat below the midpoint of the tank or container H and in such a position that convenient connection may he made to the outlet of the tank.

i7he housing it may serve to contain and support the various units forming the fluid dispensing apparatus of this invention and these units may conveniently comprise a motor it? having a base it secured to the bottom wall it of the housing is by screw fastening or the like it. In order to reduce the likelihood of sparks which might ignite the fluid being dispensed the motor may be grounded to the bottom wall I! of the housing i i by a grounding strap iii.

The drive shaft 2c of the motor i5 is connected through a coupling 25 with a pump 22 which is supported by a base 23 on the bottom wall ll of the housing i i. Pump 22 is provided with an inlet pipe 2d connected to the outlet of the tank or container ii and a discharge pipe 25 leads from the pump 22 to an air trap or air eliminator 2%. This air trap 25 is conventional in construction and cor es to remove air entrained in the fluid being delivered from the in order that such entrained air will not affect the metering of the fluid delivered by the dispensing apparatus. The air trap 28 may be provided at the upper end thereof with a ,petcock 2i which may be utilized to vent the air therefrom when necessary.

A pipe 28 leads from air trap 2% to a recording type meter 2% which is of conventional construe tion, this meter having scales which serve to indicate the total gallonage dispensed as well as the number of gallons dispensed to each consumer.

The outlet of meter 29 is connected through a check valve iii to a pressure switch t2, the operation of which will be presently described. Pressure switch 32 is connected through a manually operated shut-off valve 33 with a delivery hose or other suitable conduit 34. In order to protect the apparatus contained within housing l against damage or unauthorized access thereto may be provided a closure'in the form of a door pivotally mounted at it to the upper wall 32' of the housing I l, door 35 serving to cover the opening in housing i l when access to the apparatus is not desired.

Power for operating the dispensing apparatus of this invention may be supplied from the conventional storage battery 38 commonly found on tank trucks and the housing i l may be provided with suitable connections 39 externally thereof which serve to connect the apparatus through the cable it with the storage battery 30. A solenoid switch il may be mounted on motor I5 or in any other suitable location this switch ll which is normally open includes a pair of contacts t2 which serve to control the operation of motor l5 which drives the pump 22. A control circuit cable 3-3 leads from switch ll to a manually operated switch and to pressure operated switch 32.

As shown in 2 electrical current from tery 38 serves to energize motor it when solenoid switch ll is closed and for controlling the operation of solenoid switch ll the coil thereof is connected through a lead 46 with the battery 38 and through another lead ll with one contact 48 of pressure operated switch 32. The opposite side of battery 38 connected througl a lead .9 with one contact 50 of manually op erated switch 24 and the other contact 5i of switch 44 is connected through a lead 52 with the other contact of pressure operated switch 32. Pressure operated switch is shown schematically and may include a bellows which serves to actuate a slidable rod 55 to which attached a cross arm 55 carrying contacts 58 which serve to engage the contacts t8 and 53 to close the circuit.

The bellows 5 is enclosed in a chamber till which is subjected to the pressure of the fluid flowing from the pump through the air 25, meter 29, and check valve 3%, whereby, upon a sufiicient increase in pressure within chamber 59, the bellows v4 will be collapsed, moving the rod 55 and cross upwardly to separate the contacts 58 from contacts (iii and 53, thus opening the circuit. Up n reduction of pressure within the chamber 59 the bellows will pand, moving the rod cross arm down-- wardly, thus reengaging contacts 50, 48 and 53 to reestablish the control circuit.

Assuming that it is desired to make a delivery of oil or other fluid from tank or container Ii, the manual switch A l will be closed to energize the coil 45 of the solenoid switch 4! thus closing this switch and energizing the motor Hi. This will cause operation of the pump 22 and build up a pressure in the discharge line 25 thereof and in the chamber 59 of pressure operated switch 32. Upon this pressure reaching a predetermined value, switch 32 will open thus opening the sole noid switch 4| and stopping operation of the pump. The discharge hose 3-3 will be connected to the customers tank or other receptacle and the valve 33 opened which will immediately reduce pressure in the chamber 59 thus closing the pressure operated switch 32 whichwill result in starting the motor and operation oi the pump 22 to deliver iluid through the hose 34, the amount of fluid being recorded by the meter 29. Upon delivery of the desired quantity of fluid, the valve 33 will be closed which will cause an immediate rise in pressure within the chamber 50 thus opening the switch 32 and causing the motor I5 to stop whereby the delivery operation is completely under the control of the operator at all times. Obviously if desired a control valve or nozzle 60 may be provided on the outlet of hose 34 which would result in complete remote control of the operation of the dispensing unit without the necessity of providing electrical leads to the point of delivery.

It will be seen that by the above described invention there has been provided a relatively simple economically constructed fiuid dispensing apparatus in which all of the elements comprise commercially available parts these elements being assembled into an apparatus and incorporating a control circuit which permits complete and accurate remote control of the operation thereof. This apparatus also lends itself to the provision of a compact unitary device which may be contained in a relatively small housing to be attached to a tank truck or'which may be utilized at a stationary installation it only being necessary to connect the inlet of the pump to the outlet of the tank and provide a source or" electric power for the pump driving motor and in the case of a tank truck this source of electric power may conveniently comprise the conventional storage battery normally found on such trucks.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications but only as indicated in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

Oil dispensing apparatus comprising container for oil to be dispensed, a pipe for discharging oil from said container, said pipe being connected to said container adjacent the bottom of the same, a pump for receiving oil from said pipe, a motor for driving said pump, a pipe leading from pump to an air eli inator, from said air eliminator to a meter, from said meter to check valve, from check valve to a pressure responsive element of a pressure switch, from said pressure responsive element to a hand valve, and from said hand valve to a nozzle, a source of electrical energy for said motor, and control means for said pump con-- prising a solenoid switch for controlling the supply of current to said motor, electrical connec-' tions between said pressure operated switch and said solenoid switch whereby upon an incr in in the discharge line the solen .a switch will be actuated to interrupt the supply of current to the motor and upon reduction of pres sure in the discharge line the pressure operated switch will be actuated to restore the supply of current to the motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 763,741 Ellis June 28, 1904 1,638,189 Du Pont Aug. 9, 1927 1,902,750 Barks Mar. 21, 1933 1,981,160 Baldwin Nov. :20, 1934 1,990,742 Marvel Feb. 12, 1935 2,239,207 Trexler Apr. 22, l9 li 2,264,344 Svenson Dec. 2, 1941 2,276,838 Grise Mar. 17, 1942 2,307,060 Moore et a1. Jan. 5, 1943 2,373,143 Samiran Apr. 10, 1945 2,507,597 Holdridge May 16, 1950 2,514,441 Brown M... July 11,1950 

